Milking-machine.



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MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 19 I916- Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

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tinrrnn snares Parana op nion.

REUBEN B. DISBROW, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

MILKING-MACHINE.

AppIioation filed January 19, 1916.

of that class in which a pump is employed in cooperation with a milkreceiving chamher or mechanism for producing the above results. In thecase above referred to, it is desirable to so construct the pump thatthe suction produced in the milk chamber near the end of each returnstroke of the piston in the pump is relieved quickly, thereby instantlyrelieving the suction upon the teat by the teat cup as the pistonapproaches the end of its return stroke. Otherwise the pump will producea continuous vacuum or suction in t e teat cup. 'I he primary objecttherefore of this invention is to automatically relieve the suctionproduced in the teat cups near the end of the return stroke: of eachpiston in the pump, thereby PIOdllClIlg a long steady compression uponthe teats and a short but complete release, resembling hand milking.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a diagrammatic view of my invention, part of the structure beingbroken away and in section, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a detailof an alternative construction.

In the drawing A indicates a milk receiving receptacle upon which ismounted a mechanism B constructed in accordance with the invention setforth in my companion application Serial Number 52,192, filed Sept. 23,1915, for improvements in milking apparatus. This chamber is. in theform of a cover 2 which is placed over the body of the receptacle A, andhas mounted thereon a pair of oppositely disposed tubular milkcontainers 3 and 4, which are similar in con struction. The bodies ofthese milk containersextend upwardly through the cover and their lowerends are curved inwardly andterminate a'short distance apart. Upon thelower ends of these containers is a resilient valve made of rubber orother suitable ma- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12,1918.

Serial No. 73,041. r

terial having a yoke 5 and a pair of depending valve plates 6 and 7.These valve plates normally close'the lower ends of the milk containers,and are adapted to open alter-' nately and release the milk drawn intothe containers 8 and 4 through-the milking tubes 8 and 9 and teat cups10 and 11 on said tubes in the usual manner. There are two sets ofmilking tubes 8 and 9 shown provided in connection with the milkchamber, one tube of one set being connected to one of the milkcontainers, and the other tube of said set connected with the oppositemilk container. Thus the teat cups of each set of milkingtubes aresubjected to the action of suction produced in the milk containersalternately.

C indicates a pump having two cylinders 12 and 13 in co-axialalinement'and formed by asingle casing divided by a wall 14 at the inneradjacent ends of the cylinders. The inner adjacent ends of the cylindersof this pump are connected one by a tube 15 with the milk container 3and the other by a tube 16 with the milk container 4, and thesecylinders contain reciprocable pistons 17 and 17 which are adapted toreciprocate alternately, resulting in the alternate pulsations ofsuction produced in the milk containers 3 and 4, and causing the milkingtubes such as 8 and 9 to alternately draw milk through their respectiveteat cups.

The inner end ofeach piston rod is passaged longitudinally at 18 andformed with a vent port 21. As the pistons and their cooperating partsare similar it will be understood that a description of one isapplicable to either.

Placed upon the piston rod 19, is a flap valve 22 which is hinged at 23on said rod, so as to swing and open or close the corresponding port 21.This valve has an arm 24 slanting outwardly toward the outer end of thecylinder and is adapted to sweep against an outwardly swinging operatingmember 25, which is hinged at 26 from the supporting collar20 and hangsin the path of travel of said arm 24. The operating member 25 is heldfrom inward swinging movement by striking against the end of. the collar20. Thus as the piston 17 moves outwardly, the valve 22 remains closedand near the middle of the return stroke of the piston the valve isopened automatically by the. arm 24 striking the operating member 25which tilts the valve 22 open and admits air into the cylinder throughpassage 18 As I a result a long suction pulsatlon is produced by theteat cups during all of the outward and part of the return stroke of thepiston and a quick release is elfected near the mid: dle of each returnstroke, the apparatus thereby being adapted to simulate hand milking.

The ends of the piston rods 19 are oflset and the offset portionsengaged and supported by a shaft 27, which is slidably mounted in-thebearings 28 or in any other suitable manner and reciprocated by any Iciprocated simultaneously, the one moving closed position over thepiston,

outward while the other moves inwardly,

thus producing vacuum tendencies or suction pulsations through the teatcups. Near the middle of each return piston, the corresponding valve isopened automaticall and the entire suction force instantly re eased fromthe corresponding cylinder and teat cups. As a result a longsubstantially steady compression is roduced upon the teats followed by as ort but complete release resembling hand milk Ifarious modificationsof structure can be employed for accomplishing the results stated, Fig.2 illustrating one alternative form by which the vacuum is relieved nearthe middle of each return stroke of the piston 30 in its cylinder 31. Arelief port 32 is provided through the wall of the cylinder, which isclosed and opened b a valve 33. This valve is pivotall mounted at 34 onthe cylinder and forme with an outwardl curved or shouldered extension35 by. whic the valve is tilted into open or released into ort. Saidvalve remains closed automatica y during the suction and part of eachreturn stroke of the but when the piston is approaching the middle ofeach return stroke the valve 33 is opened, thus instantly relievingsuction upon any of the teat cu s which are connected therewith. The mecanism for operating the valve in the manner stated consists of a tiltingarm 36 hinged from the end of a thrust arm 37, said arm being offset andsecured by a collar, 38 to the outer end of the solid piston rod 39.Thus as the piston moves outwardly carrying with it the operatin arm 37,the latter member sliding in the earing 40 on the cylinder, the tiltingarm 36 sweeps freely over the valve extension 35 without opening thevalve 33 but near the end of the return stroke a shoulder 41 of the arm36 strikes a ainst the member 37 holding the arm 36 in ownward positionand when coming into contact against the the suction stroke and theearly portion stroke of each extension 35 causing it' to tilt the valve33 open and relieve the vacuum tendency in the cylinder.

It will be readily understood that during the return stroke of eachpiston, the corresponding will draw the teat or teats into the cup orcups and at the same time draw the milk steadily into the connected tubeor tubes from which it flows into the connected milk chamber orchambers, and that near the end of each return stroke of the piston, theteat cup or cups will not draw any milk therefrom and that the airforced by the return stroke after the relief valve has opened, forcesthe valve of the connected milk chamber open and ejects the milk fromsaid chamteat cup. or cups affected thereby embodiment thereof,'but'Idesire to have I understood that the construction shown 1s onlyillustrative, and that the invention can be carried out b other meansand ap lied to uses other t an those above set orth within the scope ofthe following claims.

Having desc ibed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent. is:

1. In a milking machine, in combination, teat cups, mechanism comprisingsuction chambers with each of which a teat cup is connected, cylindersconnected to said chambers, pistons reciprocated in said cylinders forexhausting air intermittently from said chambers so as to producesuction pulsations alternately in said teat cups, and means for releasinsubstantially all of the suction force 0 said cylinders near the middleof each return stroke of said pistons for the purposes specified. 4

2. In a milking machine, in combination, teat cups, mechanism comprisingalternating suction chambers, a milk receptacle into which saidmechanism is adapted to dischar e milk, pipes leading from each of thecham ers in said mechanism to said teat cups, a pump for alternatelyexhausting air from said chambers so as to roduce suction pulsationsalternately in sai teat cups and means for releasing substantially allof the suction force in each of said chambers near the middle of eachreturn stroke.

3. In a milking machine, in combination, teat cups, mechanism comprisingalternating milk receiving suction, chambers, a milk receptacle intowhich said mechanism is adapted to discharge milk, milking tubes leadingfrom each of the chambers in said 18 mechanismto said teat cups, a pumphaving a cylinder and piston in reciprocable connection for producingsuction pulsations in said teat cups, the chamber in said cylinder beingconnected with a chamber in said mechanism and said piston having apassaged member forming a relief opening from the chamber in saidcylinder, a valve closing said passage, and means for opening said valveas said piston approaches the middle of its return stroke.

4. In a milking machine, in combination, teat cups, mechanism comprisingalternating milk receiving suction chambers, a milk receptacle intowhich said mechanism is adapted to discharge milk, milking tubes leadingfrom each of the chambers in said mechanism to said teat cups, a pumphaving a cylinder and piston in reciprocable connection for producingsuction pulsations in said teat cups, the chamber insaid cylinder beingconnected with a chamber in said mechanism and said piston having apassaged rod forming an opening from the cylinder chamber to the outeratmosphere, a valve normally closing said passage, and a device movablewith said piston for opening said valve as said piston approaches themiddle of its return stroke, whereby a long suction action and a shortrelease is produced by said piston.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

REUBEN B. DISBROW.

